A Shadow's Fire
by ZeldasKnight
Summary: a suspenseful romance story between Dark link and Malon. Maybe some language somewhere. I'm not plannin on putting any sex in there but I'm sure there'll be kissing later. There's probably gonna be some spoilers maybe, I dunno. from Dark's POV mostly
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nought but the story! LOL!**

_**A Shadow's Fire**_

_**Chapter 1: Wounded**_

"I will not be your puppet!" I screamed.

"You don't seem to get it, Dark Link, you've no choice. I created you, you belong to me and must do as I say!"

"Ganondorf, maybe you created me but surely you thought about the problems of giving me my own emotions ahead of time."

"Of course, I did." Ganondorf sneered. "It is no different then a young adult defying their parents! You will listen to me, or…" He formed a ball of dark magic in his hand. "I will make you listen."

I drew out my sword.

Ganondorf laughed. He paused and then threw his magic at me, faster than I was ready for.

"Ah!" I tried to dodge but his magic followed me. It was too fast. I ran for the window. If needed, I would jump out the window into the dark river flowing behind the castle down to Lake Hylia. I jumped and crashed through the colored glass but the magic still hit me. My whole body seared with pain. Then as I was falling into the water, all went dark.

When I woke up I was laying washed up on Hylia beach. I stood up slowly but then I fell over and landed hard on my seat. I felt dizzy and nauseated. I looked down. Blood oozed from my chest, courtesy of Ganondorf's magic. I felt faint. I knew I needed help, but who was going to help Dark Link? Out of the corner of my eye I saw a familiar horse. My horse. That was the one thing I had to thank Ganondorf for. He had thought it important that I had a horse so he gave me Starry, who he had not cared for. She was black with a few white stars on her forehead. Her mane and tail were also white.

She worriedly nudged my face with her own. I had enough strength to crawl onto to her back and lay in the saddle. She begin to walk on her own. She knew I was hurt and I knew I could trust her to take me to good help…Though I admit, I doubted any would help me.

I shut my eyes for awhile and didn't open them again until she stopped. But I had grown weaker and when I opened them, my vision was so blurred I could not tell where I was. I slid off the saddle and leaned all my weight on her. I was now fighting just to stay conscious. I could make out movement coming towards me. I hoped it was friendly. Then I collapsed onto the ground…


	2. Chapter 2

**Only the story is mine! Random passerby: What the heck are you doing?**

** Me: Writing a fanfic? Eh? Blah Blah randomness. I'm psychotic! Shut up and read! Review please! How do I read the reviews? Hawkfrost's girl is super special awesome! Check out her stuff! I love Dark Link! Hmm…sorry, I just realized that part way through this chapter his POV changes from 1****st**** person to 3****rd**** person. Oh, well!**

_**A Shadow's Fire**_

_**Chapter 2: Lin**_

I opened my eyes. My head was throbbing like crazy. "Ugh." A face popped into my vision from nowhere. "Wha!"

"Oh! You're finally awake! You've been out cold for three days."

"Who the hell are you?" I asked. "Fire?"

"Oh! Sorry! I'm Malon, daughter of Talon, the owner of this ranch."

"So I'm at Lon Lon Ranch?"

"Yup! What's your name?" She asked.

"Uh…" He couldn't say Dark Link. "Uh, I'm Lin." It was a stupid name but it wasn't like he'd be here long. He stood up and felt dizzy again.

She pushed him down on the bed again. "No! You can't get up yet! You're still not well!"

"I need to leave and-"

"I said no. I won't let you leave until I'm satisfied that you've healed." She pointed to his chest. He looked down and saw his shirt had been removed. "From the look of that you were hit by powerful magic."

"But I-"

"I said no!"

He knew he was too weak to leave but he didn't want to admit defeat so he said: "Fine! But as soon as I'm well, I'm leaving! I have things I did to do." He actually wasn't quite sure what he needed to do. Should he go back to Ganondorf? No, he wasn't yet strong enough to face his master and win. Maybe he should seek out Link? Soon Link would enter the Water Temple. Ganondorf had wanted him to go there and kill Link, but Dark Link did not blame Link for anything. Ganondorf had put the instinct in him to hate Link, but if he tried hard enough he was able to fight it. He knew Link did not know he existed yet, it was Ganondorf who had made him. Ganondorf who had named him the Hero's shadow and insisted on using him like a puppet. Dark Link was determined to do whatever it took to not do what Ganondorf wanted.

"Good." She said. "Are you hungry?"

"Where are my things?" All he had on his person were his leggings.

"In a drawer over here." She said. He looked and saw he was in a simple room. It had two beds and a small table in the center. A cabinet was in one corner. Beside his bed was a large window. "Are you hungry?" She asked again.

"No." But his stomach growled as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Even though he was a shadow, while he was in his solid form he needed food and water like all humans and lately he avoided being his shadow self as much as possible.

She smiled kindly. "It's alright. You don't need to be shy. What would you like to eat?"

He shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

"How about stew?"

He had never had stew before, only hard bread and occasionally roast, cheese or apples, which were usually old or moldy. "Sure." He tried not to sound too interested.

She left for a minute and then returned with a steaming bowl. She handed it to him on a tray. He starred at it. It was a dark liquid with chunks in it. A weird scoop shaped piece of metal lay on the tray. He didn't understand this weird food. He picked up the metal piece and studied it for a moment. Maybe he was supposed to eat it? He bit it. "Ow!"

Malon giggled. He blushed. "What are you laughing at?" He asked angrily.

"You!" She exclaimed. "You don't eat the spoon!"

"Spoon?"

She nodded and took the spoon from him. "That's what this is." She said gently. Then she scooped it in the stew and brought it to her mouth. She ate and drank was on it

and then handed it back to him.

He clumisly mimiced what she'd done, spilling stew on his face in the process. She handed him a washcloth. He looked at it and then looked at her. She patted her face. He wiped his face off then sat it on the tray. Malon smiled and sat on the edge of his bed, watching him eat. "Do you like it?"

He nodded. "This is the best food I've ever had!"

"Well, I'm glad you like it. Ingo never thinks my stew has enough meat in it."

"Ingo?"

"He works on the ranch with my dad and me. My dad's name is Talon. What about you? Do you have family?"

"No."

"No? So you're all alone? I'm sorry. Where are you from?"

"Uh…Near Lake Hylia." Technically it wasn't a lie. That's where he'd been right before here.

"Oh."

He realized she was staring intently at him. He shifted uncomfortably. "Sorry." She said. "I've never seen anyone with red eyes before. I didn't know that was possible."

"Well now you know." He said bluntly.

She smiled. "Yep!"

Dark Link was taken back by this. "Doesn't it creep you out?"

"What?" she asked. "You having red eyes?" He nodded. She continued, "No! I think it's neat! I wish I had red eyes."

"Why would you want red eyes?"

"Cuz they're neat."

He shook his head. "You're weird, Fire."

She laughed again, but when she spoke her tone was a little heavy. "My mom used to call me Fire too, before she died."

"How'd she die?"

"One night, our horse barn caught on fire. I was four. She told me to stay by the house while she, Ingo, and dad saved the horses. Well, I wanted to help too. I ran in there, but I couldn't find a way back out. I starting crying and she heard me. She found a way in and grabbed me, but the roof fell in and blocked the entrance most of the way. She couldn't fit through but I could. She told me to go, but I didn't want to go without her, so she promised she'd be right there with me because she loved me. I thought she meant she would follow me, but after I went through…She never came out. There was no where for her to get out."

"Sorry, I'm sure my calling you Fire upsets you."

"No. It makes me happy…Well, you need your rest so I'll leave you for awhile so you can sleep." She took his empty bowl and the tray and then left.

Ingo and Talon were waiting downstairs. "How is he?" Talon asked her.

"He's doing well. He can't stand, but he's okay.'

"What's he like? I'm not entirely sure I like him in that room with you." Talon said.

"Don't worry, Dad. He's very nice, but he's shy." She dropped her voice to a whisper. "He's also just a little strange. He didn't know what a spoon was."

"What!" Ingo exclaimed. "Where's that nutcase from?!"

"He said he was from somewhere near Lake Hylia, but I think that may have been a lie."

"Then why didn't you squeeze the truth from him?" Ingo asked.

"Because there was obviously a reason he didn't want to tell me. With his type of personality I didn't want to force him to say anything. Not because he dangerous, but he's…confused. He seems a little self-concious too, I think it's because of his eyes."

"What's wrong with his eyes?" Talon asked.

"They're red. I like them though!"

"That's odd." Talon said. "Well, what's his name?"

"Lin." Malon said. "But I get the feeling he's not telling us everything."…


	3. Chapter 3

**Hola****! Only story ****es****mia****Starts in ****Malon's**** POV**** Starting now Dark Link will be referred to as Lin most of the time (he deserves his own name!)**

_**A Shadow's Fire**_

_**Chapter 3:**__** To Cry**_

(Malon's POV-her journal entry)

**Dear Journal, **

**Lin has been here a ****week .**** I am amazed at how fast he is healing. He was able to walk around yesterday, but I am not letting him go yet. I worry the wound will get infected. I can tell he is anxious about something-about leaving maybe, yet he still does exactly as I say. However he has agreed to stay and work here awhile to pay off what we've done for him. I told him he didn't need to, but he got defensive and insisted on repaying us. My father does not trust him, and especially does not like my sleeping in the same room as ****him(****In different beds!). Ingo finds him to be just something to laugh at. I can understand why though, Lin knows next to nothing. He had never seen a chicken before! ****-****Malon**

Back to Dark Link's 3rd person view)

He knew something strange was happening to him. Since he'd been here strange emotions kept going through him. He figured it some sort of curse Ganondorf had put in the magic he'd been hit with. He wasn't sure how to react around Malon. She was so…well, kind and friendly. He had never been treated with such kindness before. He always felt very simple-minded around her because these things were all so new to him, but Ingo always told him a child knew more than he did, which greatly embarrassed Dark Link, or Lin, as he was known. He liked being called Lin much more than being addressed as Dark Link. It made him feel more like his own person.

"Lin!" Malon called. "Lunchtime!" He left the stables he'd been cleaning and went to the house. The other three were sitting at the table. Malon got up and fixed him a plate. She sat it at his spot at the table, which was across from her.

"What is it?" He asked.

Ingo snorted. Malon ignored him and said. "It's a salad with chicken in it."

"Chicken! Like the chickens outside?"

She nodded. "They were chopped up and cooked. The green leaves are lettuce and the orange pieces are carrots."

"What are the red things?" He asked.

"They're called to-mat-oes." Ingo said it to Lin, like he was an idiot. Then he laughed. Malon glared at Ingo.

Lin blushed and starred at his plate while he ate. He wanted to know all these things but he wished Ingo wouldn't laugh so much. Ganondorf had never bothered to answer his questions, and he had not existed long to find out on his own. He looked about seventeen, but he was only a few months old.

After lunch, Malon checked his wound again. She cleaned it throughly, all the while wearing a frown.

"What's wrong?" He asked, shivering when she put her hand on his chest again.

She felt him shiver and eyed him oddly but answered his question nonetheless. "I'm just…Surprised your wound has healed so quickly. It may still get infected so we'll keep an eye on it until you leave, assuming you still want to stay and work for awhile."

"Yes, I still have to pay you guys back for-"

"Lin, you don't need to pay us back. I already told you that."

"Well, I'm going to anyway." He said stubbornly.

She shrugged and smiled. "Alright, if you want to, then we'll let you."

"I need to finish cleaning the stables then." He put his shirt and tunic back on.

"I'll help you." She said. "I've nothing to do."

They walked out to the stables and continued cleaning from where Lin had left off. When they'd finished Malon leaned against the wall. "That took longer than I expected."

_That must be my fault_, Lin thought. "Sorry." He said. "If I was better at this it would have gone faster."

"Don't be silly, Lin. You did a good job, that's all the really matters. And you'll get faster and better with time, so don't worry about it." She smiled.

He found himself giving a small smile back, then he noticed a piece of straw in her hair. "Malon, there's a piece of straw in your hair."

" That's always happens, even when my hair is pulled back." She felt around in her hair for it.

"I can get it." He said. He walked close to her and pulled it out. Then he realized she wasn't breathing. "Malon? Breathe!" He put a hand on either side of her head, resting on the wall. "Malon!"

"Lin!" She trembled. "I'm fine."

"Then why'd you stop breathing?"

She was still trembling. "I only held breath for second because you were closer than I'd have liked. I-It's just a bad habit."

"You're shaking. Are you scared of me?" He whispered, still not moving.

"I'm not scared of you. I-I just…"

"Just what?"

"Please move." She whispered.

"Just what?" He repeated.

She started to cry. "I don't like being cornered like this!"

He quickly moved away at the sight of the water on her cheeks. "Are you hurt? Why is water coming out of your eyes?"

"T-They're called tears. I'm crying. People cry when they're sad or scared." She said quietly.

He matched her tone. "So you are scared of me."

She took a shaky breath. "No. I was just reminded of scary things when you cornered me like that."

"What scary things?" He asked.

"…I don't suppose there's any reason to not tell you." She sniffled and wiped her face dry. "Not too long ago, I woke up in the middle of he night and came outside to the stables because I'd forgotten to lock the stable door. On my way back to the house I saw a man walking towards me from the Ranch entrance. I asked him if he needed something, and then he lunged at me and covered my mouth. I started kicking and thrashing but he was too big. He pushed me up against the outside of the stable and cornered me like you just did…he started touching me, I couldn't get away, but he let go of my mouth for a second and I screamed. Well my dad heard it and he got the man off of me and chased him off the ranch." She was crying softly still.

"Why'd he do that? The stranger, not your dad." Lin said.

"He was trying to rape me, Lin."

Lin puzzled over this a moment. Rape? Ganondorf had told him that word, and said to use it because it was a good way to scare several people after hurting one. What did it mean again? He suddenly remembered and grew outraged. "What! I can't believe anybody would do that to anyone!" He shouted.

Malon smiled.

"What? Why are you laughing!" He asked angrily.

"I've never seen you so mad," She laughed, wiping tears off her face. "It's funny for some reason."

He felt his anger cool down at the sound of her laugh. He blushed slightly. She always had a weird way of making him feel defenseless. She continued talking. "It's also comforting to know that you're so against it, so I shouldn't have been so scared, I'm sorry. I was right, you wouldn't ever hurt me, would you?"

"No." For some reason, saying that made him blush harder. He covered the middle of his face with his hand, where it felt warmest and looked away. What was going on with him? _Pull yourself together_, He told himself.

She smiled and grabbed his elbow, sending a shiver up his spine. "Come on, there are other things to be done."

"Malon." He said. "I'm sorry for making you cry."

"It's alright." She said. "It's good for you cry every now and then. Get your emotions out."

"What a fool he is." Ganondorf said. He had hired a fortune teller, who was showing him all of this in a crystal ball. "_Malon__"_ He mocked. "Bah! What a joke! I'll crush his little Malon so hard that he'll be feeling it too…No! Better yet, I'll have some fun, then I'll let _him_ crush her…Hee, hee, hee. Muhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi ****again only**** the story is mine!**

_**A Shadow's Fire**_

_**Chapter 4:**____**Anywhere but Here**_

"Lin! Wake up!" Malon said, shaking him fiercely. "There's someone outside wanting to see you!"

"Uh?" He sat up in bed. "Whazzat?" He asked groggily.

She giggled at his expression. "I said there's someone outside to see you!"

"Oh!" He was shocked. He couldn't imagine who would want to see him. "Who is it?"

She shrugged. "I don't know."

He climbed out of bed, quickly tied his hair back and straightened his tunic before following her downstairs where Talon and Ingo were eating breakfast, and then out the front door.

A man Lin didn't recognize stood by the Ranch gate. He had narrow brown eyes, black hair and brown skin. He wore armor bearing Ganondorf's mark. "Hello, Dark Link."

"Dark Link?" Malon asked.

"Who are you?" Lin asked.

"You don't know him?" Malon asked.

"You're Malon, right?" The stranger asked.

"How do you know who I am?" She asked, a touch of fear marked her voice.

"Ganondorf told me to look for a pathetic redhead with an attractive figure."

She blushed and unconsciously stepped closer to Lin. "Ganondorf? You work for him?" Her voice was shaking.

"Obviously, since he talked to me about you."

"What does Malon have to do with anything?" Lin asked angrily.

"Oh, she has everything to do with it. You know Ganondorf, use your imagination."

"I don't know Ganondorf." Lin lied.

The man laughed. "Don't be shy, Dark Link, go ahead and tell firey over there all about Ganondorf and his plan to-"

"SHUT UP!" Lin shouted.

"What plan?" Malon asked. "Are you working for Ganondorf?"

"No!" He exclaimed desperately.

The man laughed again. "You are so naïve and foolish, Dark Link. You know as much as a newborn. Haven't you had to explain practically everything to him, Malon?"

"Well…N-not everything, but I've had to explain some stuff to him."

"Do you know what a snail is, Dark Link?"

Lin shook his head mutely. The stranger continued. "Do you know what a pupil is?"

Lin blushed and shook his head again. The man started walking towards him. "Do you know what love is?"

Lin didn't bother to answer this time. "I didn't think so." The stranger said slyly. He looked oddly at Malon. Then he stepped closer to Dark Link and whispered in his ear: "I'm going to help increase your knowledge and show you the proper way to catch a girl off guard." Then he backed away and sniffed the air. "Mmm. What's that smell?" He stepped close to Malon and sniffed her. Malon stiffened. "Your perfume smells nice." He said.

"Um…I-I don't wear perfume."

It happened in a flash. The man grabbed her and forced onto her stomach on the ground so that she was beneath him. Malon screamed. He opened his mouth to say something but before he could, Lin grabbed him by his shirt and threw him against the side of the house. Then he stood over him threateningly and growled: "Don't you ever touch her again! Now get out of here!"

The man stood up and headed for the entrance. "My job is done for now. Don't forget that Ganondorf is always watching you, Dark Link."

That made Lin shiver. Was Ganondorf really watching his every move? Is that why Malon was now a target? He looked at her. She was getting to her feet. "Are you okay?" He asked.

She was shaking. "Yes. Thank you, Lin."

"No problem."

Talon and Ingo came outside. "What in tarnation is going on?" Talon asked.

"Nothing." Lin replied before Malon could say anything.

"What was that thud we heard? What about the visitor?"

"The visitor tripped over that rock on the ground and his head on the side of the house. He just came to talk to me, but I wasn't who he was looking for. He had come to the wrong place." Lin continued.

Malon eyed him oddly but said nothing.

"Well, let's go get to work then."

Lin managed to avoid Malon until that evening before bed when she had to clean his wound again. "Lin?" She asked. "Who was that man earlier?"

"I've never seen him before."

"Oh. Well, why did he call you Dark Link?"

Lin had been expecting this question, but now that he was faced with it, he didn't know what to say. "I-I don't know."

She stared into his eyes so fiercely that he looked away. "You're lying" She said.

"What? No, I'm not!"

"Yes, you are. Is Dark Link your real name?"

"Wha-Malon! My name is Lin! I'm not a shadow!" He shouted.

She took her hands off of him in fear. "Shadow? I never said shadow."

"I am Lin! I'm not evil! I'm not a shadow!" He stood up so that the window was at his back.

"Lin, calm down." The setting sun cast long shadows of Malon and furniture in the room. For the first time, Lin realized he didn't have a shadow. Malon, watching his eye movement, realized what he was realizing. "You don't have a shadow." She whispered. Then she eyed him oddly. "I can see through you. I-I can see the sun setting even though you're blocking my view of the window."

Lin looked at himself. She was right, he'd accidently changed to his shadow form. He looked by at her. She was confused but her eyes showed only concern for him. He shook his head and stepped back, only to trip over his own boot and bang his head on the bed as he fell. "Ow!"

She stood up and reached a hand out to him. "Lin?"

"Don't touch me!" He screamed. He threw his tunic on over his head and pulled on his boots, all the while glaring at her simply to keep her away.

She looked like she might cry. "Lin."

"No! Get away!" It hurt him to do it, but he slapped her face with enough force to knock her backwards to floor. She slowly stood back up, trembling and crying, one side of her face was red.

"Lin." She held a hand out to him. "Let me help you."

"Malon," He said. "I don't care how good of a healer you are, you can't fix this. I was created to be the Hero of Time's shadow, and that's all I am. I am Dark Link. Ganondorf made me for the soul purpose to hate the Hero. There is nothing you can do." Then he turned and dashed for the window, slipping through the glass as a shadow and landing gracefully on the ground. Then he ran as fast as he could to get anywhere but here.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, uh..,. Check out ****Hawkfrost'sgirl****- her stuff is ****awesome(****actually I'm ****bein**** g paid to tell you that but there really is some cool stuff there). Also I highly recommend u read "100 ways to kill ****Ilia****". I know, it sounds gruesome especially to people like me who like ****ilia****, but it's hilarious. Oh! And of course you should read this and review…or dark link will go berserk and murder you! He knows where you live! O-o (actually I'm not being paid to tell you anything.) Hi ****Meegin**

_**A Shadow's Fire **_

_**Chapter 5: **__**Alone This Time**_

"Lin!" Malon ran down stairs, past Talon and Ingo, and out the door into the cool twilight air. "Lin! Come back!" But he was already gone. "LIN!"

Talon came outside. "Malon? What's the matter?"

"He's gone." She said. "He left."

"He was going to leave wasn't he?" Talon asked.

"Yes." She said, then she thought to herself: _But he wasn't going to leave like that. His leaving wasn't supposed to leave me feeling empty. _She started to cry.

Talon put an arm around his daughter's shoulders. "It always hurts to see a friend leave." He said.

Lin had no idea where he going, only that he had to get away.

He feared Ganondorf would continue to send people to the ranch to hurt Malon until he did as Ganondorf demanded. He knew Ganondorf had next wanted him to go to the temple at Lake Hylia where there was a room just for him, where he would trap and fight the Hero of Time. He decided to go there, but first he would write Ganondorf a note.

He took a piece of paper of his pocket and quickly scribbled:

_**Going to **__**lake**__** temple**__** to ambush link**_

Then he waved his hand and pulled a nearby bush's shadow to him. He gave the paper to the shadow and gave it life just long enough for it to slip to the castle and give Ganondorf the note, then the shadow would return to it's place by the bush.

He was about to whistle for Starry when he remembered she was in the ranch stable. He didn't want to go back there. "Guess I'm alone this time." He said. Then he set off towards lake Hylia in his wispy shadow form to make travel quicker.

Ganondorf quickly read the note before smiling and clutching it in his fist. "This is perfect." He grinned. "Jiol!"

A man emerged from the corner. This man had narrow brown eyes, black hair and brown skin. He wore armor from Ganondorf. "Yes, your darkness?"

"Return to Lon Lon Ranch and get the redhead. Do it by whatever means needed, but don't kill her and don't let the two men there see you take her. Bring her back her fresh and in one piece."

"Fresh, sir?"

"Yes, don't harm her in any way. No slicing, raping, dismembering, etc. You see my point. If she gets a little dirty or a couple small scrapes that's fine. Scare and threaten her as much as you like, but don't follow through on those threats…for now."

"Yes sir." He turned and left.

Jiol wasted no time in reaching the ranch. It was the middle of then night when he arrived there. He lit a torch and threw it on the side of the field furthest from the house. Then he knocked hard on the door and hid from sight. Ingo opened the door, yawning. He saw the fire. "Holy sh-TALON!"

Talon came to the door and saw Ingo pointing. "Oh no!" they both went back in for buckets of water and then ran towards the fire.

Malon appeared at the door. "What's-No!" She gasped at the sight of the fire. Jiol saw his chance. He leapt out and grabbed Malon. One hand covered her mouth and one wrapped around her middle. She struggled and tried to scream. He dragged her outside the ranch to where his horse waited. He taped her mouth and then threw her on the horse before getting up behind her. Then he whispered in her ear. "You try anything funny, and I'll slit your throat before you can say Lin." He laid the cold blade of his knife on her bare throat and kicked his horse into a gallop for the castle.


End file.
